M is for Lola Mae Yeakley - Aunt Lola

"L" was taken for Uncle Lee. We always used her middle name with the first name so technically, I can use the "M" for her.

Lola Mae Yeakley, the youngest child of Ernest Marvin Yeakley and Nancy Ellen Jones.

Wichita Falls High School

Her timeline on Ancestry.com reads like this:

Birth

1926  Wichita Falls, Wichita, Texas United States

11 Apr

1930  Residence

Age 4  Wichita Falls, Wichita, Texas

1940  Residence

1 Apr   Wichita Falls, Wichita, Texas

1942  Residence

Age 16  Wichita Falls, Texas

1993  Residence

Age 67  Renton, WA

2009  Death

16 Dec  Renton, King, Washington

Age 83

This is what we run into when we start tracking our ancestors. Facts are OK but there was a whole life lived between the sources. Aunt Lola was more than just a list of sources for me. She was a very real person who fell in love, married, had children, and lived life on her own terms. 

Lola Mae was 20 years younger than her oldest brother. There were 6 other children between them and Ellen, my grandmother, was 39 when she was born. She was the baby of the family and was treated as such. She was four when my grandparents had their first grandchildren. Because of the age differences, by the time I was born, most of my cousins had children my age. It was no different for Aunt Lola. Her playmates were her cousins and not her brothers and sisters. 

Ellen died in 1938 when Lola Mae was 12. It was difficult for the family but at that point, the only children at home were Lola May, Gene and my mom, Ruby. My mom was 20 at the time and a college student. 

This was a photo taken at the time of Ellen's death. It is all the kids and my grandfather. Back row: Noel, Don, Marvin (my grandfather), Jay Dee, and Lee. In the front, Eugene, Ruby (my mom), Ruth, and Lola Mae. 

It was decided that Lola Mae would accompany my mother to Denton, Texas and live with her. My mom went to college and Lola Mae attended school the local elementary school. I have several letters my mom wrote to her siblings about how hard it was at times but how much fun the two of them had. Any activities my mother attended, so did Lola Mae. Gene stayed home. He was 15 and attended high school, old enough to fend for himself until his dad got home from work. 

I have to stop here and explain why Aunt Lola's name changes from sentence to sentence. Her siblings never called her anything but Lola Mae. The nieces and nephews called her Aunt Lola so in this narrative, I find it hard to write and call her Lola Mae. To me she will always be Aunt Lola. 

Lola Mae and Ruby moved back home when my mom graduated. Lola Mae finished high school in Wichita Falls. When Lola Mae was 17, she met John Gerald Curtindale. She must have met him at the USO, the same church where my mom met my dad. My mother was not fond of John Gerald Curtindale and didn't want Lola Mae to marry him but Aunt Lola always did what she wanted. For the 50 some years Uncle Johnny and Aunt Lola were married, my mother was always there for them. While I think she never got over the fact that Aunt Lola married him, he was accepted as part of the family. 

Uncle Johnny could be charming but he was not always the nicest of persons. However, Aunt Lola was no fool and they had an interesting life together. 

Johnny was an entrepreneur. I remember when he had a gas station in West Seattle. He always had some invention or business that he was working on. I remember the worm farm on the side of the house. I thought it was gross but he did explain how beneficial the worms were. 

They lived in West Seattle for many years. From the balcony off the back door, you could see the Space Needle and downtown Seattle across the Puget Sound. The home also had a basement where we would stay when we visited. It wasn't exactly finished but did have bedrooms and a bathroom. There was a very large (and I do mean large) holly bush in the front yard. We learned early it was prickly and you didn't want to hide in it. Aunt Lola worked a Boeing for more than 30 years and was often the sole support of the family. She liked her job and it kept her busy. She was also a Weight Watcher Lifetime Member and remained trim for most of her life. She attended church on a regular basis.   

Uncle Johnny and Aunt Lola had two children. We spent a lot of time as children together. They would come to California or we would go to Washington. I still am in touch with my cousin Paul and we are grateful for the relationship. His younger brother Jerry passed away recently. 

My mom holding me, Paul standing in front and Lola Mae holding Jerry. 

John Gerald Curtindale passed away on October 4, 1996 at the age of 79. Aunt Lola outlived him 13 years passing away on December 16, 2009. I can still hear her voice and laugh and I miss her. 

L is for Lee Marvin Yeakley - Uncle Lee

I don't have any clear memories of my Uncle Lee. I was nine when he passed away.

Lee Marvin Yeakley was the oldest child of Ernest Marvin and Nancy Ellen. He was born on September 29, 1906 in Archer, Texas. He was 12-yrs-old when my mom was born. On June 9, 1929, he married Dorothy McWhirter. He was 22, she was 18. Their only child was Richard Lee born in 1930. Lee Marvin Yeakley passed away on November 23, 1958 at the age of 52.

Like my grandfather, he worked at the Times Publishing Company. It was his only job and according to one newspaper account, he wasn't feeling well but worked there up to the week before he died.

I knew my Aunt Dorothy and my cousin Richard Lee. Richard was called Dickie Lee by the family, even as a grown man. Since I can't seem to find a picture of Aunt Dorothy, here is a picture of Dickie Lee and his wife Movolene. Dickie Lee is still living but we lost Movolene last year. They were fun people to be around and I always enjoyed visiting with them. 

52 Ancestors - Week 16 - Solomon Shearer - 1811-1881

This photo was posted by PaulRutherford20 on Nov. 21, 2010 with a note it is probably a replacement as many of the old stones are tipped over or broken. The Bethel Cemetery in Frisco, Collin County, Texas was under renovation. I have yet to find a death record so this is as close as we come. The month of June is listed on Ancestry but it it's not documented.

We do know that he was born on June 8, 1811 in Wayne County, Kentucky and married Mary Price in 1840. They had seven children, one of them Margaret Ann Shearer, my great grandmother.

There is a little know about Solomon Shearer. In 1918, Edmond Franklin Bates wrote a book called History and reminiscences of Denton County. On page 44, he writes: 

"The standard of morality was high, resulting in a high order of citizenship to the honor of this Kentucky colony whose roll call will never grow old to the writer." 

He goes on to to mention Solomon Shearer, and his brothers, Will Shearer, Walter Shearer, and Rev. Worth Shearer. 

The Hawkins Settlement was founded by Rev, William Bates in 1854 by his sons and sons-in-law. It was called the Kentucky Settlement because most of the residents had migrated from Kentucky. They were Methodists and built a church in 1857, called Zion after the church they left behind. The people of the Settlement we "fervent" in their worship. In the Yeakley and Jones families, religion was a very important part of their lives. I know that their religious beliefs were passed down as my mom was a person who lived her beliefs. 

According to the records, Solomon Shearer and Mary Price were born and married in Kentucky and by 1870, were living in Denton. We don't have a census for 1860 but the book mentions them as part of the Settlement which means that they were there prior to the 1870 census. Their youngest child was born in 1854 in Kentucky so we know they were not there when the Settlement was founded. The Settlement eventually became Denton.

Solomon and Mary lived there until they died, Solomon in 1881 and Mary in 1900.  

K is for Knott's Berry Farm

This is a stretch but I don't seem to have any "K" family members that are completely researched on the Yeakley/Jones side. So, while still keeping with the A to Z requirements, I am using Knott's Berry Farm to share some family photos. 

Scott is my oldest son and I think he will be the one to carry on the genealogy. He is now interested after learning we might be able to track our past back to the Mayflower. He is a history buff so it appeals to him. 

This is Scott at Knott's Berry Farm. 1973

Christopher is my youngest son and into history too. Along with my brother, niece and nephew, they are Civil War reenactors. It is a family affair. They are Confederate mounted cavalry but also do World War II. 

This is Chris at Knott's Berry Farm. 1973

We are a California family so our lives have been spent at Knott's Berry Farm. As a small child, we took family there. This is my Dad holding my brother and my grandma holding me, The picture was taken in 1953. 

Aunt Lola brought my cousins from Washington State to visit in 1954. This is Paul, Jerry, Marlin (my brother), and Me. 

Aunt Ruth also visited in 1954. This is my mom, Aunt Ruth, and my cousin Annette taken in front of the Jail. 

We took Granny in 1965. My dad and I are in the back. In the front, Granny and my annoying brother. 

As my kids have grown up, they have spent a lot of time there too. This is Chris and Scott. They are a little older. 1974

 

 They were not happy with this photo. They wanted to be outlaws, I wanted school boys. I won. 

 They finally got their wish as young men. This is their favorite Knott's picture. 

Knott's is a totally family affair. Gary and I were married in Las Vegas without photographs. We went to Knott's for our official wedding photo. 1983

We are raising our grandson and spend lots of time at Knott's still. This is Gary, Chris and Niles. Niles is an outlaw in training. 2011

As long as we can, we will continue with the tradition of the pictures. After all, it is part of our family history. 

BTW - Gary goes to Knott's for the chicken dinner. We make several trips a year just to eat there. It's like an obsession. 

J is for JD Yeakley - Uncle Jay Dee

I have more pictures of Uncle Jay Dee and Aunt Marie than any other family members. I bet that's because they lived less than an hour from us and we saw a lot more of them. Thinking back, it's an interesting dynamic. My Aunt Marie and I didn't get along until I was an adult. I think that's mostly because she had boys and wasn't quite sure what to do with girls. She got along well with my brother and other boy cousins. 

Jay Dee Yeakley was born on August 28, 1913 in Archer City, Texas. When he was 21, he married Halcyon Marie White in Wichita Falls, Texas. She was also from Wichita Falls. They moved around a lot from San Diego to the San Francisco area, ending up in La Mirada, California. He was a printer like his father and brothers.  

Probably taken in the 1960's at our house in La Puente, California
My dad, my mom, Uncle Jay Dee, and Aunt Marie

They had two boys, Jerry and Jimmy. I talked about Jimmy on letter "H". He died in Vietnam in 1967. Jerry is alive and well and living in the San Diego area. 

We spent a lot of time at their house, especially in the summer. When family came from Texas or Washington, we would gather there because they had a pool and it kept us kids busy while the grown-ups visited. Aunt Marie had an amazing orchard collection and a green thumb. 

Eventually, they moved back to the San Diego area, living in El Cajon. Uncle Jay Dee and Aunt Marie attended my mom's funeral in May of 1998. I had no idea he was unwell but he passed away six weeks later on June 17, 1998. Aunt Marie lived another 8 years. She still loved to raise orchards and the last time we visited, she had some very beautiful plants.  

I is for Isaiah Jones

Yipee! I think I have found the missing Jones family.

We knew my 2nd great grandmother was Lucy Jones. We did not know the name of my 2nd great grandfather other than Jones.

They had three children, James Augustus Jones, Sally, and Sammy. I know James Augustus Jones is correct but the rest was left for speculation.

James was born in Mississippi. I had Lucy's birthplace as Alabama based on notes my mom left. I could not find a Lucy Jones in Alabama with the correct birth year or even close so I changed her birthplace to Mississippi and found a census report with the children's names. However, her name was Mary L. Jones. Taking a leap of faith, I changed her name to Mary Lucy Jones and was rewarded with another census report with the same children plus one. The plus one is Hannah and she disappears before the 2nd census report so she may not have lived very long.

I actually think that this is correct although I have been disappointed before. I continued searching and found a marriage record for a Mary Lucy Blanchard and Isaiah Jones. I think this is correct too. It's fits into the timeline and it is also in Mississippi.

Now the real work begins. All of this needs to be verified so I'm going back to my DNA page to see if there is a Blanchard in any of the surnames. That's a lot of extra research but I need to be sure I am on the right track.

Still, that's the first glimmer of hope I've had in the search for Lucy's husband.

H is for James David Yeakley in Heaven

You expect parents, aunts and uncles to pass away before you do but not necessarily cousins who are the same age. It's not that I'm young, I just expected us to grow old together. 

James David Yeakley

I miss Jimmy. I had a cousin crush on him from the time I could remember and was so jealous when he married Regina.

James David Yeakley was the youngest son of Jay Dee and Marie Yeakley. He was born on October 17, 1944 making him five years older than me. Jay Dee and Marie lived in San Diego when he was born. Most of my memories center around their home when they moved to La Mirada. Uncle Jay Dee and Aunt Marie often hosted family weekends. La Mirada was not far from our house so we spent a lot of time swimming in their pool. 

Jimmy had a MG and used to take me for rides. For an impressionable young girl, he was beyond cool. He treated me as an equal although looking back, I must have been a pest. 

He married Regina in 1965 and they moved to Norwalk. I don't know if he enlisted in the Army or if he was drafted but it was at the height of the Vietnam War. According to the family story, he was killed by a sniper while patrolling the Cambodian/Vietnam border on November 17, 1967 at the age of 23. They were not allowed to defend themselves and fire back because we were not at war with Cambodia. Looking back, I don't know how true that story is but it changed the way I looked at war.  

I had the honor to visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC. It was there where I was able to reconcile my total dislike for the Vietnam War with all those who died there. The Wall is a powerful reminder of a time of uncertainty. I believe Jimmy died in a war that was not our business but at the same time, our country called on our young men and they responded, giving their lives. Like others, I made a rubbing of his name. Everyone on the wall had loving families doing the same thing.  

Jimmy did not leave a family to carry on his legacy. He had no children and Regina moved on and remarried, as it should be. He lives only in our memories but he is more than just a birth and death date. He deserves to be remembered as the fun loving person that he was. He was a good son and brother. 

And...he is the only one who drove on the sidewalks in La Mirada to prove to me that he could. What a hoot! 

G is for Natalie Gorin

Natalie Gorin was my mom's boss at the library at Wichita Falls High School in Wichita Falls, Texas. She was also her friend and mentor and deserves a mention in the Yeakley family history.

She was born in  Port Arthur, Texas on August 1, 1911 to Charles Gorin and Minnie Coufal. They moved to Wichita Falls in 1930 where she completed her education and became the high school librarian. She dedicated her entire career to the high school. She is pictured in the high school yearbooks from 1941 to 1964. 

In 1948, she made a trip to California to visit my newly married parents. They were seen at Knott's Berry Farm, the Huntington Library, and the NBC studios. This photo was taken at the Huntington Library. My mom is on the left and Natalie to the right.

This is the photo taken in front of NBC Radio City in Los Angeles, California

Natalie never married so I am hoping that she still has family who want to know about her. I have lots of pictures to share. I am posting these pictures because she was important to my mother and made a difference in her life. No one lives without leaving a footprint.

She died on September 6, 1966 of breast cancer and is buried at Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls, Texas.